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Monday, May 21, 2007

Happy Birthday!

To me!

Thank you for all the wonderful congratulations! An extra-special thank you goes out to Pene, a long time reader and commenter, who sent me a wonderful cookbook from Estonia. It has recipes in both Estonian and English (thank goodness) and it's all.. chocolate! The photos are absolutely gorgeous, and this is one I really can't wait to dig into! Thank you Pene, that was completely unexpected and thus made my day.

Which was, as far as birthdays go, off to a bad start. The wisdom tooth operation, well, not so successful after all, and I had an infection. So back to the dentist for some more torture (really!) and then a heavy dose of painkillers and antibiotics. Yeay. Not. But it picked up pretty well after that! I got flowers from the happy newlyweds, and plenty of gifts from friends and family. And a lovely princess cake! (And no, I didn't make it myself!)

The photo is of chèvre toasts, one of my favorite snacks. So easy to make! You need a baguette - day old is fine - sliced into thin rounds. Drizzle with some olive oil, and top with a thin round of chèvre cheese. Pop in the oven under the grill for a few minutes on high heat, until the cheese has melted and the bread is toasted. Top with rocket (arugula) and some toasted pine nuts. Serve with a glass of bubbly, or not, it's fine with just about anything.

Palju õnne sünnipäevaks, Anne! Is the book "Estonian Family Celebrations"? I bought it few months ago, and really love the pictures. Recipes are not new to me, but it's a lovely compilation of stories and recipes.Sorry to hear about your tooth trouble. Wish you well!

Happy Birthday Anne! May the year ahead be the best one yet! Really sorry to hear of your tooth troubles. Ouch! Will be in touch soon via e-mail so we can plan where and when to get together next month!